This workshop is designed for professionally trained ballet dancers (all genders and with pointe shoes, if you like). It focuses on reinterpreting classical ballet steps through the lens of contemporary dance techniques and compositional methods. The aim is to explore a more abstract rendition of classical dance figures and steps, challenging traditional and neoclassical interpretations by examining their technical definitions and aesthetic forms.
Participants are encouraged to bring ballet variations from their repertoire or to work with a selection of steps that are either predetermined or chosen at random. The workshop will concentrate on abstracting these steps to highlight their inherent architectural and dynamic qualities. This involves a deep dive into the musicality, dynamics, and spatial arrangements of the steps, aiming to create innovative ‘agencements’ (configurations).
The creative process will also include the development of dance ‘phrasés’ and sections, both individually and in groups. These will be built around a limited set of elements, manipulated through variations in sequence and orientation to foster new choreographic possibilities. Depending on the number of participants, the workshop will culminate in a short choreographic presentation that showcases this unique aesthetic approach.
Jean Luc Ducourt
